What is The Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI)?

Parents are offered leadership training that includes:

• a mandatory retreat to develop group communication
• 10 weeks of classes on self and perception of leadership
• 10 weeks on practicing democracy skills
• a community project based upon the student’s personal passions

The course ends with a local graduation and a statewide graduation where participants receive diplomas from the Secretary of the State.

The 20-week course also includes instruction on:

• Understanding personal history and its impact on perceptions of leadership
• Thriving and working with diversity
• Assessing and defining problems – thinking critically
• Using the media
• Public speaking
• Using benchmarks and outcome measures
• Forming useful coalitions and building community
• Working with and how to engage the opposition
• Understanding policy and municipal budgets
• Becoming familiar with city, state and federal law.

Who are the parent leaders?
Adults raising children including mothers, fathers, grandparents, stepparents parents. But you don’t need to be a parent to be in the class, just care about improving systems for children.
 
Who benefits?
Parents, children and communities benefit. Parents gain self-confidence using their skills as change-agents within communities. Children benefit when parents participate more in their lives as advocates and decision-makers. Communities benefit as parents use their tools of democracy in civic initiatives.
 
What makes PLTI unique?
Some values in the structure of the PLTI include parent leadership developed through trust, participation, skills building, hope and expectation. These ingredients offer parents, who seek to create change for their children and others, a ladder towards leadership through unique features:
 
PLTI is intergenerational.
The PLTI recognizes that multiple generations raise children. The program offers leadership training to parents and grandparents. The children attend dinner and participate in child care while their guardians are in class. This parent-child participation in leadership enhances children’s visions of their own potential to effect change.
 
PLTI expands its circle of effect.
Parent graduates serve as mentors for the next class of students. Parents participate, advise, speak and mentor other parents and programs seeking to work with parents as partners. The Design team which sponsors the PLTI initiative in the community also helps bring about change.
 
PLTI selection is parent-based.

Parents are selected on individual merit based on their application and interview. Some applicants are self-referred. Others are referred by PLTI graduates, religious institutions, schools or community agencies. The PLTI strengthens a diverse constituency of parents who can access and utilize community assets to meet parent-defined goals.